Legalist? Fundamentalist? Conservative?

I've been reading some of the other threads about grace/law, and how different folks have changed their opinions on issues over the years. Based upon my personal convictions on the following issues, would you consider me a legalist? Fundamentalist? Conservative? (I say this not because I care to change so much (unless guided to do so by the HS and scripture), I have to have a clear conscious before God, but just curious where you would think I fit in).

(1) Believe in literal tithe, (give 10% of gross income).
(2) Believe in modest dress for women, (my wife was raised to dress modestly)
(3) Try my best to avoid work of any kind on Sunday (We live on a farm so I did have to do a few things today due to impending cold weather and horrible weather yesterday).
(4) Abstain from drinking alcohol. (I have drank alcohol in the past in my early 20's, but see no benefit as a Christian, and consider it would not be a good witness)
(5) Don't believe women should be pastors, deacons, or elders.
(6) KJV preferred not only, but it doesn't matter to me what version a person reads if they never open it.

Having said all this I've just recently joined a Baptist church in the past few years so I was not raised in a Baptist church but would not consider my background to be full of do and don'ts. When visiting churches prior to joining where we attend now we visited both IFB and SBC. We joined a SBC, but there are some things I like about the IFB churches we visited. That being said I know there are some SBC churches in the area I would not join, and some IFB churches I would not join.

 

Thanks Dr. Bob.

I guess this may be an underlying reason I ask the question, I have to guard my heart against how I might interact with someone who disagrees with me. For example, if I heard another Christian talking about going to see Twilight or Harry Potter, it would give me heartburn. I wouldn't necessarily be mean to them, but it would probably change how I view them in the future. I try to remind myself that just as God has worked in my life over the years, he is working in others too. He hasn't called me to be a fix it man, just a light to others and testament of his grace. I shouldn't be ashamed of my convictions, but able to support them with scripture if asked.

If you mean Reformed, I'm not totally there but close I guess. I did visit your website a while ago and copied the picture of the ship with the quote from Calvin. Hope it was okay to do so.

 

Yeah, after I posted that I thought, that probably isn't the best example, it was the first thing that came to my mind when trying to respond. It would probably be no different then me watching a Chuck Norris movie full of roundhouse kicks and blown up cars, and someone judging me because they don't like to watch movies full of violence.

I think I'm pretty hard on myself about things (to a degree a perfectionist), and probably at times want to hold others to some kind of standard that they can't live up to. I'm not saying that its right, I'm just being honest, and its something I need to work on. So at times, I guess I fit Dr. Bob's description of a legalist. It's clear to me that we are called to live Holy lives (set apart) I know I don't do it all the time, and I shouldn't view other Christians differently when they don't appear to either. Again, just being honest here.

I think part of my problems stem from my youth (general lack of trusting others issues), and my personality where I tend to overanalyze everything. A lot of times growing up I was looking around for others who it seemed were leading the Christian life, as those to look up to. As I matured as a Christian I realized I was looking in the wrong place, that only Jesus is perfect and he alone is the one we should emulate. A couple years ago, I heard a radio preacher say "Jesus never said follow my followers, he said follow me." I at times as I still deal with the flesh, am looking at the wrong one sometimes. I know as well that if others are looking at me, I'm going to let them down.

I agree to a point with what you and your friend were discussing. I heard a preacher tell a story one time about a lady he was trying to witness to/invite to church. She told him, "Preacher I don't want to go down to that church with all those hypocrites". He replied, "I'd rather go to church with a few of them, then to go hell with all of them".

I guess for me, and what I didn't originally convey in the first post is that at times I'm still trying to work some of this stuff out. I have no doubt that I'm saved by God's grace, as a result I want to try to live a Holy life before God, one that is pleasing to him. At the same time realizing that I will stumble and can't be "good" enough to please him. He still loves me even when I stumble, but just because I'm under grace it doesn't give me a license to knowingly stumble. And knowing that the Devil "Is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour", I have to guard myself at all times not to give in to small "sins", which might appear harmless but might eventually lead to greater disobedience. (I still don't know that this makes any sense, if you've made it this far thanks for reading :smilewinkgrin.